Not sure what the -- you're talking about, seeing as Niki Lauda wrote that when negotiating with BE, white is black and night is day, but as soon as you shake hands with him, it's as good as written in stone, and that's the way Bernie was able to get where he did, everyone knows his word is good.

The chief executive of the Circuit of the Americas said he was “not at liberty” to disclose which governmental organization had made a “verbal application” to Formula One to bring a yearly auto race to this city.

“I wasn't here, so I don't know that,” Jason Dial told reporters when pressed on the issue. Just prior to that, he had said, “What the statute states is it's an application, it can be verbal or written. And in this case, it was obviously verbal.”

...

But statements by Austin city officials to the City Council in the first briefing on Formula One in June 2011 may complicate claims that a verbal application was made.

...

_________________On Twitter, follow me @GPAmericas for all the latest breaking news and current photos...

Sometimes they were. Other times they weren't. I think they were trying to give the appearance of racing on different tracks over a season or a career. The ferris wheel in the shot from atop turn 1? It's never been there. That's cgi. So is the blue paint in the runoff in that shot. On the shot at the car leaving the pits (from inside the garage) it was going the wrong direction as well.

_________________On Twitter, follow me @GPAmericas for all the latest breaking news and current photos...

Noticed that. I called it out "Look, it's Austin" and the people around me looked at me like I'm an alien.

I did the same thing and had the same reaction. Worse really because I actually rewound the dvr to make sure which brought down some serious wrath since the superbowl broadcast was no longer live until a fwd for 3 seconds.note to self: make friends with more race fans and less football fans

These guys are so funny, too. Yesterday after we broke the news, they went on their Facebook page and told everyone they had a big announcement coming today about the feature performer at the race, & asked everyone who they thought it would be. Vance posted the corrrect answer, twice. They deleted his posts both times.

_________________On Twitter, follow me @GPAmericas for all the latest breaking news and current photos...

Now I'm hearing the USGP EltonJohn performance will happen way out at Turn 11. Be sure to bring your best walking shoes!! That's a serious hike. Pretty much guarantees the smallest possible crowd for EJ.

_________________On Twitter, follow me @GPAmericas for all the latest breaking news and current photos...

On the heels of a disastrous Formula One race ... several sources are reporting that Jason Dial, president and CEO of Circuit of the Americas, is leaving that position, apparently the latest in a long list of track executives to have come and gone.Dial was hired two years ago from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he was the marketing director, to be the track president, assisting CEO Steve Sexton. A month later, Sexton was out, and Dial assumed the CEO title.

I think we could all see the writing on the wall when Epstein hired Rittenberry to be the "Chief Strategy Officer", whatever that is ... just like when he brought Dial in with Sexton still here, and like when he brought Sexton in with Hellmund still here. The revolving door continues to spin away at COTA.

_________________On Twitter, follow me @GPAmericas for all the latest breaking news and current photos...

The 2016 USGP is still listed as provisional and is subject to cancellation by the FIA.

Is the consensus that this is likely to get fixed or is the risk still high that the US will lose yet another grand prix?

My understanding is that the local government has agreed to re-assess the property to free up the $5m from property tax, and therefore the race will go ahead as planned. Here's a link to an article talking about it. Since Bernie is supportive of the race and won't cancel it unless he doesn't get paid, as long as the property tax reassessment isn't successfully challenged (and it seems like some people want to do so) they should be able to pay the money and there shouldn't be a problem.

At least, that's what I hope... Race of the year last year for me, and it would be a travesty if they lose the Grand Prix because of a hurricane that nobody could have controlled.

The 2016 USGP is still listed as provisional and is subject to cancellation by the FIA.

Is the consensus that this is likely to get fixed or is the risk still high that the US will lose yet another grand prix?

My understanding is that the local government has agreed to re-assess the property to free up the $5m from property tax, and therefore the race will go ahead as planned. Here's a link to an article talking about it. Since Bernie is supportive of the race and won't cancel it unless he doesn't get paid, as long as the property tax reassessment isn't successfully challenged (and it seems like some people want to do so) they should be able to pay the money and there shouldn't be a problem.

At least, that's what I hope... Race of the year last year for me, and it would be a travesty if they lose the Grand Prix because of a hurricane that nobody could have controlled.

Agreed, it would be a shame if they lose the GP someday, but it won't be because of the storm. The state notified them back in September that they were lowering their funding ... well before the storm. They changed the formula they use to determine funding. It wasn't a result of decreased attendance in 2015.

Hearing through thegrapevine that COTA & Austin Mayor Steve Adler will announce tomorrow that the F1 USGP will stay in Austin for 2016. They may announce Taylor Swift as the musical act for the race as well.

_________________On Twitter, follow me @GPAmericas for all the latest breaking news and current photos...